


Jailbreak

by Burgie



Series: WillowxAlex AU [13]
Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 18:13:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17533715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Seeing that her best friend is down, Roo decides to do something to help. Willow belongs to willownorthbook and Roo belongs to fieldingfreja.





	Jailbreak

**Author's Note:**

  * For [willownorthbook](https://archiveofourown.org/users/willownorthbook/gifts).



> Timelines are a mess (TM) but this takes place sometime after Mine ends. Also idea of the Soul Riders breaking up after SSL lovingly borrowed from Cen's good fic Broken Seals.

Roo always thought of herself as a good friend. That was why, when Willow seemed quieter and more withdrawn than usual, Roo took it upon herself to visit her best friend and, if she couldn't find out what was up, at least do whatever it took to break her friend out of her funk.

Which was why Willow was suddenly startled out of her perusal of the available shows on Jorflix by the sight of her red-haired, freckled friend barging through her front door. Willow gave a little scream, clutching her chest. She shot a glare at her friend.

"Roo!" Willow complained.

"What?" Roo asked, feigning innocence despite the front door still hanging open behind her. She didn't close it, though, despite the fact that it was letting in some chilly air from Valedale. The air was always cooler here, up near the Valley of the Hidden Dinosaur.

"You're letting the cold air in," Willow grumbled, pulling her knitted blanket over her legs. Louisa had knitted it for her as a Christmas present one year.

"Yeah, well, get used to it, because you're going to be out in it soon," said Roo. "Do you need to shower?"

"What?" Willow asked, frowning in confusion at her friend. Roo sighed, rolling her eyes as she sat down on the arm of the couch. Willow exited out of the Jorflix app, knowing that it was futile to resist Roo when she had an idea in her head. Roo would drag her out of the house if she had to, she'd done it before.

"Are you good to go out or do you need to shower?" Roo asked, speaking a little slower now. Willow blinked at her.

"No. Why?" Willow asked.

"Well, you're in a slump and I worried that you'd forgotten how to look after yourself," said Roo.

"I'm not in a slump," said Willow, though she had to wonder if that was true. She wasn't as bad as she had been after Kai, but... she was still pretty down. Losing a friendship was hard, especially when they'd been so close at first.

"Louisa's worried about you," said Roo.

"Louisa worries about everyone," said Willow.

"Fair point," said Roo. "But you still need to come with me right now. At least you're wearing everyday clothes. And you won't even need to change your wardrobe that much since you always dress in all black anyway."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," said Willow. Roo leaned closer to Willow, grinning.

"We're going to break Alex out of jail," Roo whispered, her breath smelling strongly of cranberries.

"She's not in jail," said Willow, frowning. "Elizabeth's just grounded her after what happened with the Ancient Tree on South Hoof."

"Well, she may as well be," said Roo. "Just c'mon, Willow, it'll be great. You can break her out of jail or being grounded and then spend the day with her. I know you need it."

"And get her into more trouble?" Willow asked, picking at the blanket over her legs. "I dunno..."

"Where's your sense of adventure, girl?" Roo asked, tugging Willow to her feet. Willow's feet tangled in the blanket and she tripped, giving a yelp. Roo caught her, though.

"Don't say it," said Willow, glaring at her. Roo grinned.

"Timber," said Roo, and laughed. Willow groaned.

"Alright, alright, fine," said Willow. "But I'm bringing Alex back here."

"Hey, that's fine," said Roo. "Just as long as you have some company because I know that you're drowning in your own thoughts."

"You don't know me," Willow muttered, but she knew that her friend was right. And she had been thinking more and more about Kai lately, thanks to what had happened with Daine and Ydris. Oh, sure, they were good now, or so Daine said, but Willow still couldn't understand how it had all been resolved so quickly. Now, whenever she spoke to Daine, it always ended in an argument. And Willow felt awful, but she couldn't just move on from that. She'd always distrusted Ydris, and now? But she shook her head, trying to dispel those thoughts.

"Yes I do," said Roo. "And I know that you were doing it again just then. Get your coat, we're going to rescue your princess."

"Alex is hardly a princess," said Willow automatically. "A warrior princess, maybe." Especially with those muscles, a thought that made Willow blush.

"Whatever," said Roo, shrugging. And, after Willow had grabbed her black beanie and a black jacket to wear over her sweater (as well as pulling her black boots on), she headed outside after her best friend. She rode double behind Roo on Logan into Valedale, where they dismounted in front of the stable.

"Right, now," said Roo, glancing furtively towards Elizabeth's house before looking back at Willow. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I'm going to distract Elizabeth with some bullshit about an escaped prisoner or a weird plant I found or something, and then you sneak in once she's gone and get your girl."

"And you're sure this will work?" Willow asked.

"When haven't my plans worked?" Roo asked, waving her hand. Willow opened her mouth, about to list off every single time that one of Roo's plans hadn't worked, but Roo was already jogging over towards Elizabeth's house. Willow sighed, watching her go.

Willow couldn't hear what Roo was saying, but apparently, it was enough to convince Elizabeth to walk away from her house and up to the area with the four rune stones. Willow darted over to the house, her heart slamming in her chest, and was surprised when Elizabeth's front door opened easily. Apparently, the crime rate in Jorvik was so low that it was safe to leave one's house unlocked. At least, when it came to mundane crimes.

"Alright, Alex, where are you?" Willow muttered, her hands trembling as she closed the door behind her. She headed into Elizabeth's house, finding that, like many houses on Jorvik, the front door opened up into the living room (or lounge room, as Louisa called it). And there, on the couch, her eyes closed while her head bobbed along to the music playing through her headphones (and echoing tinnily into the room), was Alex. Willow grinned, her heart fluttering at the sight of her.

Willow walked over to Alex and tapped her knee where the bare skin poked through the ripped jeans. Immediately, Alex gave a war cry and her fist slammed into Willow's jaw. Willow stumbled back, rubbing her chin and wincing. Alex gasped, pulling her headphones down as she stood.

"Oh my god, Wills, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you!" said Alex, her eyes huge as she hurried over to her girlfriend. "I really hope I didn't hurt you, are you okay, god, I'm such an idiot." Though Willow's eyes stung with tears, mostly from the shock, she laughed, a smile curving her lips.

"Alex, it's okay, I'm fine," said Willow, blushing as Alex kissed her chin to make it better. "Besides, I'm the one who startled you."

"Yeah, but still," said Alex. She pulled her mp3 player out of her pocket and switched the music off so that silence descended but for the hum of the refrigerator in Elizabeth's kitchen. "What are you doing here? Not that I'm not glad to see you, it's just, I'm kind of druid grounded right now."

"That's why I'm here, actually," said Willow, standing up a little straighter. She always felt a little braver, a little more comfortable, in Alex's presence. "I'm breaking you out of druid jail, as Roo put it. Temporarily. For the day." Immediately, Alex threw her arms around her girlfriend, fluttering her eyes dramatically.

"My hero," said Alex. Then, she jumped away, grabbing Willow's hand and running for the door. "Let's go, I think Elizabeth's keeping Tin Can in the stable."

Willow hurried after her girlfriend, heart still beating way too fast in her chest. It seemed to take an age for Alex to locate Tin Can, and then even longer to locate his tack. But then, finally, Alex swung herself up onto the saddlepad, hooked her feet into the stirrups of her girth (she wasn't the best rider and needed it to ride bareback), and held her hand out for Willow to grab. Then, once Willow's arms were around Alex's waist, Alex nudged Tin Can's sides with her heels and set off at a gallop for Willow's cottage by the river.

Willow's heart didn't really slow down until she was inside with Alex, both of them on the couch and panting to get their breath back. Alex giggled.

"What?" Willow asked, unable to ignore the happiness that swelled in her from being so close to her girlfriend.

"We made it," said Alex, grinning fiendishly. "The jailbreak was a success!"

"It wasn't a jailbreak," said Willow, laughing.

"Felt like it, though," said Alex, grey eyes sparkling as she looked at her girlfriend. She pulled her feet up onto the couch, kicking them across Willow's legs. "Ahhh, I love the feeling of freedom." Willow smiled.

"You say that like you weren't just sitting on a couch," said Willow.

"Yeah, but your couch is nicer," said Alex. "It has you on it." Willow laughed, grinning. "So, what's been going on in your world while I've been inside? The kids alright?"

"Alex, it's only been a few months," said Willow, though her good humour was rapidly fading. Her smile faded. Alex noticed, her eyes growing huge.

"What happened?" Alex asked, leaning closer to her. "Who died?" Willow bit her lip to stop it from trembling, but she couldn't stop the tears. It all came over her in a rush- all of the shit with Ydris, and Daine, and Ariana. Tears blurred her vision, and she sobbed. But Alex was there, holding her, rubbing Willow's back soothingly as the tears fell. Willow barely noticed Alex adjusting them so that Alex held Willow almost in her lap.

"It's mostly that Pandorian fuck," said Willow, brushing tears away with her knuckles. "That purple-eyed cunt. I feel like he's stolen my best friend away, and then he pulled a bunch of shit and Daine was so hurt by it and he kept going back and I don't know why, and then something even worse happened and I almost lost him but I didn't because Ydris conveniently showed up at the right time. And they should have stayed apart, but Daine took him back."

"What did Daine's Circus Bae do now?" Alex asked. Willow tried to breathe deeply, tried to muster her feelings, tried to explain it in detail, but all that came out was one word.

"Kai," said Willow, and that was all that Alex needed to hear. Alex grit her teeth, hugging Willow a little tighter. "I just don't know why he took him back, I saw how hurt he was when he left the disco that night. We were dancing while that fuck was off fucking someone else, just like-"

"Shh, I know," Alex murmured soothingly, rubbing soothing circles on Willow's upper back.

"And I don't know what to do, he's my friend and I should support him but I just don't understand how or why or-" Willow continued, her voice high with emotion.

"You're not responsible for other people's actions, Wills," said Alex. "And there's a lot more going on with those two, anyone can see that. The druids have their suspicions, but don't worry, I try my hardest to distract them."

"Yeah, Astor and Evergray do that too," said Willow, wiping her eyes and sniffling. "But I can't be there for him, I can't be happy for him. Not yet, not with all this shit happening and the memory of Kai and..." Willow trailed off, and Alex knew that Willow's hands would have been worrying at her hair if they weren't trapped between them.

"Maybe you should tell him that," said Alex. "Tell him that you need time because of the bad memories. I'm sure he'll understand."

"But we were so close," said Willow, a tear rolling down her cheek. "And I hate that we're so distant now."

"Hey, if you think that Soul Riders are close all the time too, you're wrong," said Alex. "After all that shit happened the first time, back in high school, we should've been stronger than ever. But we broke apart instead. We all went our separate ways, in the end, we just clashed too much. But look at us now."

"Yeah, years later," said Willow. Alex shook her head.

"The distance did us good," said Alex. "We talked every day. On the phone, through webcam, letters, stuff like that. And after a while, we were close again."

"But we don't have a while, Alex," said Willow. "We could need to go up against Garnok any day, and we're Keepers of the Light, we need to work as a team, but we're broken so how can we work as a team?" She was crying again, hadn't stopped, really.

"You'll get over it," said Alex, taking Willow's hands in her own and looking her in the eyes. "I promise."

"I can't even tell you all the details because I don't want to know them but I know that it was... Ariana," said Willow. "And yeah, Daine forgave her, but what if that tension's still there and what if it breaks us apart right at the crucial moment?" Her fingers squeezed Alex's hands tightly.

"Shh," Alex soothed, kissing Willow's forehead. "It'll be okay. It'll all be okay. Let's just relax with some Jorflix, okay?"

"Okay," said Willow, tears still brimming in her eyes. "I brought you over here to do that. Jorflix and chill. Only maybe actually chilling."

"Hey, Roo could always break me out for some 'chill' next time," said Alex, winking at her. Willow didn't laugh, so Alex leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips.

An hour later, Elizabeth Sunbeam sighed as she finally sighted the golden pony outside of the cottage by the river. She marched up to the door, fully intent on pounding her fist on it and demanding that Willow hand over the fugitive. But, when she looked through the window into the living room, she stopped, her fist halfway to the door. Inside, she could see the two young women curled up together on the couch, Willow on top of Alex with a knitted blanket spread over them. Alex's eyes were closed, her head thrown back in a snore, her hand draped comfortingly over Willow's back while the knuckles of the other hand grazed the floor. Willow had her fingers curled into Alex's shirt, clinging to her like some kind of security blanket.

And, with a soft smile touching her lips, Elizabeth turned and headed back to her cottage. Maybe she didn't need to keep punishing Alex. Maybe she could let her off. On the condition that she spend more time with her girlfriend.


End file.
